Abiel Holmes
Abiel Holmes [1]
A Congregational minister, born in Woodstock, Conn., Dec. 24, 1763, was educated at Yale College (class of 1783), and served his alma mater as tutor a short time. He became pastor in Midway, Georgia, Nov. 1785, and Jan. 25, 1792, pastor of the First Church, Cambridge, Mass. When the increase of new theological opinions caused a division of the society, he retained his connection with the "orthodox" portion of the parish. A colleague having been settled with him, he resigned his share of the duties Sept. 26, 1831, and passed his last days at Cambridge. He died June 4, 1837. Dr. Holmes was a director of the American Education Society, a member of the Massachusetts Historical Society, and of several other well- known associations. The University of Edinburgh conferred on him the degree of D.D. in 1805. He published Proceedings of A Council at the Ordination of Rev. Abiel Holmes, at Midway, Georgia, with the Pastoral Address (1787) — Life of President Stiles (1798, 8vo) — Memoir of Stephen Pannenius, of Buda, with his Latin Poem translated; also Memoir of the Moheagan Indians: both published in vol. 9, Mass. Hist. Coll. (1804) — American Annals (1805, 2 vols. 8vo) — Biographical Memoir of the Rev. John Lothropp, in Mass. Hist. Coll. vol. 1, 2nd series — Historical Sketch of the English Translations of the Bible (1815) — Memoir of the French Protestants who settled in Oxford, Mass., in 1686, printed in Mass. Hist. Coll. vol. 2, 3rd series (1826) — Annals of America from the Discovery by Columbus in 1492 to the Year 1826 (1829, 2nd edit. 2 vols. 8vo); and a large number of occasional sermons and addresses. — Sprague, Annals, 2, 240; Allen, American Biography; Duyckinck, Cyclop. of American Literature, 1, 511 sq.; Allibone, Dictionary of Authors, 1, 868; American Almanac, 1836, p. 316.
